Ship of Dreams
by MistyMagicWaterflower aka xImmortalxRomanticx
Summary: Pokemon/Titanic Fusion. Ash, Misty and Brock are about to fall headlong into one of the greatest and most powerful stories evertold, can they change the out come with both love and Pokemon on their side? AAML, of course!
1. Prologue

The Ship of Poke Dreams

By: MagicMistyWaterflower aka xImmortalxRomanticx

Rated: PG-13

I own only the idea of this fic and my laptop that I typed it on.

I do not own Pokémon. I do not own Titanic.

I own my writing style and the way I've written this. That's about it.

"_Titanic_ was called "The ship of dreams" and it was… it really was....."

- Rose

Preface

Ash, Misty and Brock had finally hit a town after sleeping on the hard ground for what seemed like ages. A bed was a foreign concept to the trio and their loyal Pokémon companions. But their salvation was etched in front of them: "Southampton ½ mile"

"Thank Ho-oh!" Misty cried "A city! No more sleeping in sleeping bags!" Misty sang doing a happy dance.

"A NEW NURSE JOY! I can almost smell the antiseptics and citrus perfume as we speak! Oh Nurse Joy, don't worry your Brocky's on his way!" Brock yelled into the setting sun.

"Brock, get a grip." Misty said whacking him over the head with her mallet.

"I hope they have a gym, I feel like I haven't battled in a gym in forever." Ash said stretching his lanky arms to the back of his head sighing to himself.

Pikachu was currently on Misty's shoulder making funny faces for Togepi laughing in Misty's arms.

As the trio finally hit the city's entrance at a little before dark, Brock ran through the guide book.

"According to this, it should be right around...here" Brock said staring at the Pokémon Center in front of him. He jumped up in the air and ran at full speed through the automatic glass doors. Leaving Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togepi in his lovesick wake.

"Well, shall we mademoiselle?" Ash asked offering her his arm and putting on a lopsided grin as Pikachu jumped on top of his head.

"But of course, Monsieur." Misty smiled, putting Togepi in her left arm and accepting with her right arm. As they walked to the Pokémon Center and entered through the automatic doors only to find Brock drooling over a nervous and terrified Nurse Joy.

Ash and Misty sweatdropped and walked over to Brock, Ash apologizing profusely to the shaking Nurse Joy and Misty pulling Brock away by his ear

"Aww man! No, no, no! Not the ear! Anything but the ear! Come on!" Brock whined as Misty pulled him to the side, ordered him to give her his Pokémon and wait there. She walked up to Ash handed him Brock's and her Pokémon including Togepi for the shaken nurse to heal.

Ash, luckily, for saving Nurse Joy managed to get a room with a bunk bed and another bed on the side.

They entered their room after some much needed dinner and a shower. All exhausted and weary from traveling. Misty scampered up the ladder to the top bunk bed with her red bag, in her aquamarine bubble pajamas. She slung her red bag on the bed post and threw her sleeping bag on the floor. Misty let her blazing red hair cascade down her back. Ash looked up just in time to see her shake her fiery locks loose from her hair tie. _She truly was a vision_ he thought to himself.

Brock was in the bed on the other side, so Ash chose the bed under Misty. He put his bag down on the floor and took off his hat and jacket, then jumped in bed, the Pokémon Center's cool, soft sheets made staying awake much longer quite difficult...


	2. Sleeping Awake

Chapter Two:

Sleeping Awake

~*~

"Kasumi...Kasumi...Kasumi! please tell me you haven't fallen asleep again!"

Misty opened her aqua-blue eyes, she was no longer in the Pokémon Center but in a car from the 1400's and she had been dressed differently too. She wore an expensive pearl white and black debutante's dress and a wide brimmed hat with white gloves, her flaming red hair had been pinned up inside the wide fuchsia brimmed hat.

"Huh? Oh, no I was just resting my eyes..." She said to the woman next to her who she recognized as her ((Kasumi's)) mother. She had hard eyes and a thin lipped smile, her expression was reserved and reproachful towards her young daughter. She wore a small hat with a long feather in it, and bottle green dress with a collar of white lace.

"Well, I should hope not because we've arrived..."

The doors of the car opened with a soft click and a hand was extended to help her out of her car. She took it automatically, much like a robot and stepped gracefully out of the car.

The smell of smoke from the enormous steam engines mingling with the sharp smell of fresh paint entered her nose and the dull roar of the crowded dock made speaking immensely difficult. The hustle and bustle of the crowded dock made her feel like much like a sardine: people unloading items on to the ship, people being inspected, people boarding the ship, Pokémon being inspected and loading on...Kasumi's gaze settled on a young girl with eyes the size of saucers gazing up at the huge ship.

A man got out behind Kasumi wearing a black bowler and an expensive gray suit, his dark brown hair was slicked back under the hat, he wore white gloves and carried a black cane that was embellished all around the top with different stones.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" he beamed at the massive vessel.

"I don't see what the fuss is about Shigeru; it doesn't look any bigger than the _Groudis_." Kasumi stated bluntly. The man chuckled at her naiveté.

"You can be blasé about some things, Kasumi. But not about _Lugia_. It's over 100ft longer than the _Groudis _and far more luxurious." He turned to the woman behind him and helped her out of the car saying:

"Your daughter is far too difficult to impress, Ritsuka." The woman giggled politely and stepped out of the car.

"So, this is the ship they say is unsinkable." She mused to herself aloud staring up at the huge ship.

An elderly bag man with a dutiful expression walked up to Shigeru from behind "Sir?"

"IT IS UNSINKABLE!" Shigeru shouted over the roar of the crowd and the older bag man "GOD HIMSELF COULD NOT SINK THIS SHIP!!"

"Sir...?" the older man repeated again.

Shigeru whipped around "What?" he snapped at the elder, arrogance radiating from his stature.

"Sir, you have to check your baggage at the main terminal. It's around that way..."

Shigeru stopped him, shoving a wad of bills in his hand "I put my faith in you good sir; kindly see my man." He ordered and marched off after Ritsuka and Kasumi.

The man's eyes widened as he glanced at the amount of cash in his fist, his tone changing completely to one of total servitude.

"Oh yes sir, its my pleasure sir, please let me know if there's anything I can do..." A tall man in his late 60's in a dark gray suit pulled him back and began barking out orders for his master.

"Right, all the trunks from that car there, the twelve from here and the safe to the parlor suite rooms B-52, 54, 56." The man said pointing at the overstuffed items in the cars reading the numbers off a piece of paper.

A loud whistle blew and Shigeru checked his silver pocket watch.

He flipped it closed "Ladies...We'd better hurry." With that said they all began to walk quickly to board the ship.

"My coat?" Kasumi asked aloud to her maid.

"I have it." She responded meekly.

Kasumi and the others went to board the first class loading docks Shigeru came up and offered her his arm with a smooth, rehearsed smile. Kasumi accepted automatically as she heard him muttering about the ship again pointing with his cane to different fixtures on the ship as they boarded; though, her mind was off somewhere else. She watched all the people happy and excited to be on such a marvelous ship going to the land of opportunities. To the debutante, it was like a slave ship taking her back to Kanto in chains. Outwardly, Kasumi was flawless. Inside she was screaming.

~*~*~

Ash opened his eyes; he too realized that he wasn't in the Pokémon Center. Forget the Pokémon Center; he doubted he was in the 21st Century anymore! Judging by the old fashioned way he was dressed. Ash stood in the middle of an alley way facing two other men.

"Hey kid! My name is Omi and this is Izuzi." He said gesturing to the man next to him. "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"

The man next to Ash with brown spiky hair and green eyes wore a dark green jacket over numerous layers of clothing who he remembered was called Takeshi replied

"I'm sorry we're in a hurry," they turned to leave when the man called back out to them. "Come on! Battle me! I'll make it worth your while...all or nothing I'll even throw our tickets to the _Lugia."_

Satoshi whirled around with a grin, "One on one alright with you?" The man, Omi nodded, while the man next to him, Izuzi were obviously in a disagreement. One of them had slicked back brown hair and olive colored eyes was muttering something vulgar at the man next to him whose head was shaved and had translucent silver eyes. The brown-haired man kept pointing disappointedly at the 3rd class tickets and pocket watch that lye in the middle of the other side of the alley in with numerous amounts of money and other small possessions.

"Satoshi, you're mad! you are betting everything we have!" Satoshi whispered in Takeshi's ear "When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to loose."

Takeshi sighed at his stubborn friend. "Ready to begin? This will be a one on one Pokémon battle. No time limit, let the battle begin!"

Satoshi pulled out an old-style Pokéball from his pocket as the man on the other side cranked his, the top came open in a bright light revealing a Golem. It roared out its name as a battle cry. Satoshi's eyes narrowed seriously as he uncranked his Pokéball and a flash came as his Pikachu popped out. It shook off its golden fur, releasing all its tension. As it saw Golem, it fell in its battle stance awaiting orders from Satoshi.

"Go Golem, stop that Pikachu in its tracks with a rock throw!" the hairless man called out to his Pokemon.

"Pikachu, use agility to dodge it!" Satoshi cried.

Golem leapt up in the air ready to pounce on Pikachu, but Pikachu was faster. It moved out of the way in a blur of white light.

"Pikachu, now use double team!" Satoshi called out.

Takeshi smirked at Satoshi's strategy. It was a good one, he'd definitely come a long way from the little boy he'd met years ago.

"Golem use Tackle!" Omi ordered.

Pikachu created at least 10 more of itself while Golem was left to tackle out the real one; it slammed 5 of the illusions, making dents in the pavement while the dust loomed around their feet.

"Golem now find that Pikachu with a Rollout Attack!" Omi said

"Pikachu hurry use quick attack to dodge it!" Satoshi commanded.

Golem rolled its circular body into a ball and speed toward Pikachu, who even with its quick attack was having a hard time getting away. Ash then saw all the deep dents in the concrete where Golem had crashed trying to pin Pikachu down.

"Pikachu, now agility run towards the holes!" Satoshi guided his pokemon.

"Golem, use Rock throw again!" Omi ordered.

Takeshi began to fidget nervously from his spot next to Satoshi. Satoshi smiled at his nervous friend. He knew why he'd become so distraught. Though he knew he'd proved himself to Takeshi years ago and he trusted his battle skills, he could be reckless and the last thing they needed on their hands was a seriously injured Pikachu and no money. However, Satoshi trusted his Pokemon enough to be confident that if he wouldn't let them down as a trainer, they wouldn't let him down in the arena. Satoshi'd clinch this yet.

Pikachu in a blur of white light and yellow fur dove to the holes Golem followed still in Rollout attack, as Pikachu turned pass a hole Golem dove down to slam it but instead got caught in the ruts of the deep trench.

"Golem! Rollout faster get out of that hole!" Omi commanded.

"Pikachu, Now use Iron Tail at full power!" Satoshi yelled, determination and adrenaline pounding through his veins.

The faster Golem rolled, the deeper it made the trench digging itself further into the ground. Pikachu's tail began to glow white with power as it readied its Iron Tail attack for the precise moment then leapt up into the air only to slam its tail down on Golem's face full blast. Golem got dizzy from the extreme rush of pain to its small head, driving it into rage. Enraged, it began to roll even faster into the deep trench.

"Uh-oh, Golem's confused and angry...uhh...Golem use defense curl!" Omi called.

But Golem wasn't listening. It was so blinded by rage and confusion it wouldn't hear its trainer's pleas. Satoshi then saw Pikachu's ears perk up it heard something below the surface...Satoshi could see drops of water mixed with earth emitted from Golem as it sped deeper into the ground. It was creating mud and it didn't even feel the effects of the water yet.

"Pikachu, now use charge!" Pikachu's cheeks crackled with static electricity it was gaining from the charge

Takeshi was intrigued. _It's not going to work...rock types aren't affected by electricity...what's he up to..?_

"Pikachu, Thunder now!" Satoshi cried

"Golem, snap out of it!" Omi commanded.

Golem had completely lost all knowledge that anything or anyone was still with it as it continued to dig, ignoring its trainer's requests. Pikachu cried out its name as it sent out an electrifying thunder into the air straight at Golem, hitting the giant bolder-like Pokémon dead on. As it cried out in pain it fell backwards in its hole with a cry of defeat.

"Golem is unable to battle; I officially declare Satoshi and Pikachu the winners!" Takeshi cried out happily.

Pikachu jumped for joy straight into Satoshi's arms with a cry of delight as they began whooping and dancing around the alley. Satoshi holding Pikachu up in the air praising him as they spun around and around.

"How-How is that possible? My Golem clearly had the advantage over your Pikachu!"

Satoshi smiled, "Call your Golem back."

Omi nodded, curious at his request. "Golem, return now!"

As Omi called Golem back a spray of pressurized water shot up from the ground into the air.

"Your Golem must have dug straight into a pipe, causing a leak which weakened it, coupled with its low tolerance to water and a high power thunder attack was enough to knock it out." Satoshi said confidently.

Takeshi ran over to gather up the winnings as their opponents broke out into a fight amongst each other punching and cussing at each other.

Takeshi looked at his Pocket watch. "Oh, man we have to be on the _Lugia_ in 10 minutes!!"

Satoshi turned to them and yelled "Thank you! It was an amazing battle!" then, without waiting for a response; Satoshi turned and grabbed his bag, with Pikachu perched on his shoulder, he and Takeshi ran to the docks.

As they neared the docks more and more people began to clog up there entrance to the great ship just as the docking step pulled away.

"Wait! Stop! We're passengers!!" They cried out to the men that were between them and there way to Kanto as they jumped on to the loading steps and ran to the entrance of the ship handing the man their tickets.

"Have you been through the inspection queue?" The man asked them

"Of course, It doesn't matter anyway because we're both from Kanto." Satoshi clarified.

"Right, come on then." The man said moving aside for them to jump in the entrance of the great vessel.

Satoshi, Pikachu and his friend jumped through the opening on by one, Pikachu on Satoshi's head holding onto his hat as they ran through the clogged hallways of the ship to the top deck, steam billowed from the smoke stacks and the ship shuddered as the propellers started up and the _Lugia _began to pull away from the dock, hundreds on deck called out to loved one wishing them a safe voyage.

"Goodbye!" Satoshi called out among the others

"Know someone?" Takeshi asked him

"Nope, that's not the point though!"

Pikachu giggled from his seat on Satoshi's hat as it watched the Wingull fly over head and its two best human friends make morons out of themselves wishing imaginary people off.

Smaller ships around the _Lugia_ pulled it farther and farther out to sea as soon all that was visible was tiny crying dots as the great liner left the port of Hoenn in its wake…

To be Continued…

And that's the first chapter! Please review and keep a look out for the next chapter! ^.^ Remember, flames are not acceptable, only constructive crit is. Domo arigatou gozaimashu!

Ash/Misty is l o v e!


	3. Living in a Dream

A/N: So…I've been meaning to update this for awhile, and then TNT not-so-subtly aired Titanic today. XD I decided I'd take the hint. This chapter is dedicated to everyone who enjoyed the first few chapters, I promise, it's only going to get better! ^_^

_Disclaimer: Wait….*checks* Nope! I still own nothing but the idea of a fusion._

_Don't sue, just enjoy the story. ^.^_

Chapter Three

"Come on Satoshi, let's go find our cabin. It's 322..." Takeshi advised walking toward the 3rd class cabin stairs, Satoshi nodded and followed him

They jumped in an elevator and the middle aged bellman in all red told them where to go for their cabin. The bellman pushed the button and let them out to their floor.

They got out and began to navigate the crowded hallways to find their cabin.

All the doors looked the same until they reached one with marked 322.

"Hey, this is it. Right here." Satoshi said opening the door revealing two bunks squeezed tightly together on the sides opposite them and two other men talking quietly to each other on the other side.

"Hey, how are you doing? I'm Satoshi Kashino and this is Pikachu" Satoshi said shaking the mans hands while Pikachu smiled on his head

Satoshi turned to talk to Takeshi to discuss the sleeping arrangements on the bunks

While one of the men looked at the other and said "Where are Omi and Izuzi?"

~*Kasumi POV*~

"Is this the one miss?" Kasumi's maid asked her as they rummaged through the trunk of Pokéballs in the 1st class cabins. The room was purely luxurious, everything worthy of a king or queen to travel abroad in. Shigeru was currently surveying things as he reentered from his private promenade deck.

"No, it was smaller and it was blue..." Kasumi said distractedly, she had her big brimmed lavender hat off and her hair twisted up tightly on her head.

Shigeru sauntered into the room and groaned "Ugh. Not those again"

"They certainly were a waste of money."

"The difference between Shigeru's taste in Pokémon and mine is that I have some; their fascinating creatures." The maid held out a red Pokéball with a small drop on the front for Kasumi to inspect.

"Ah, yes, this is the one." Kasumi took the Pokéball and untwisted the top as she released it. A small blue mouse like Pokémon materialized in front of her it had a black tail with a blue ball on the end.

"Azu! Azu?"

Kasumi kneeled on the floor to be level with the small "Hello there little one."

The Azuril's small brown eyes brightened at Kasumi's kindness and it waddled over to her cautiously.

"Zu! Zu!" It said happily

"What's the creature's name miss?"

"Azuril, its a newly discovered Pokémon. It shall to make a nice addition to my team." She said as Azuril snuggled against her side.

"Team? Counting that blue mouse you've got three of them."

"Come on Azuril. Let's go get something to eat."

"Azu!" Azuril beamed and Kasumi opened her arms for Azuril to pick up the little Pokémon. She then strode out of the room with her maid

"At least they were cheap." He said as he then turned back out on the deck. To leave

his head man Ikari to deal with the rest of the setting up.

At Olivine a woman came aboard named Samantha Simms. Everyone called her Sam. Her husband had found hot springs out west and she was what Kasumi's mother referred to as "new money"

.:: Satoshi POV::.

By the next afternoon they were steaming out off the coast of Johto with nothing ahead of them but ocean.

Satoshi, Takeshi and Pikachu raced around the upper deck as the ship cruised along the foamy waters. Running right up to the bow of the ship, Satoshi, Takeshi and Pikachu leaned over the front of the massive luxury liner then gazed out at the massive span of water in front of them.

"Hey look! Takeshi! Look! Do you see it?!?" Satoshi said pointing energetically and leaning over the ship. A Wailmer was in front of them swimming at super speed with the liner. "Look! There's another one Pikachu! See him?" Satoshi said to his electric companion. Pikachu squealed in delight and amusement as the whole pod of Wailmer moved to the front of the liner.

"Look! Look at that one it's going to jump!" Takeshi said as the Wailmer in the back of the pod leapt up from the water into the air to lead its friends on "Whoo-hoo! Go for it Wailmer!" Satoshi cheered the lead Wailmer on. Then grabbed a cable from up on the next deck and hoisted himself up onto the railing looking out at the massive ocean. "I can see Vermillion City already! Kinda small of course..." Takeshi joked beside him. Satoshi smiled everything was finally going his way It was perfect. He was practically a master...

"I'M GOING TO BE THE NEXT POKÉMON MASTER!!!!! WHOOO-HOO!!"

Satoshi yelled whooping and cheering with his companions.

~*Kasumi POV*~

Kasumi had said that she would meet Shigeru and her mother at the first class dining room for lunch with some of the other passengers including the "New Money" as well as the Capitan and the designer of the ship. This was becoming quite a common occurrence it seemed, Kasumi ate with them all the time now.

She entered the room wearing a dress of peridot green with a dangling choker like necklace. She walked gracefully up to the table as a maid pulled a chair out for her.

"She is the largest moving object ever made by the hand of man in all of history and our master shipbuilder Mr. Kazuma here, designed her from the keel plates up."

"Well I may have knocked her together but the idea was Mr. Takumi's he envisioned a steamer so grand in scale and so luxurious in its appointments that its supremacy would never be challenged and here she is willed into solid reality."

"Hear, hear!"

Kasumi pulled a piece of bread off of the table and balled it up into a little piece for Azuril to eat it from her lap quietly and happily.

"You know I don't like that Kasumi." Ritsuka said on her left side wearing a high collard red dress with white lace trim and a wide brimmed hat with silk flowers to match the outfit. She wore a stern expression as she scolded her daughter.

"She knows." Shigeru replied grabbing its Pokéball from his pocket and returning the Azuril back into its Pokéball.

A waiter then walked up casually to Shigeru's left side, pad of paper and a pencil in hand.

"We'll both have the lamb, rare with mint sauce. You like lamb right sweet peas?"Shigeru said as an after thought.

Kasumi turned back to him with a fake smile fighting back the urge to smack him.

"You gonna cut the meat for her too Shigeru?" Sam Simmons said with a chuckle from across the table wearing her all black lace dress and feathered wide brimmed black hat.

Shigeru looked at the women in front of him clearly not amused. Samantha stopped her chuckling and then quickly changed subjects with Shigeru's not so subtle glare. "Hey, who thought of the name _Lugia? _Was it you Lino?"

Mr. Kazuma puffed himself up "Well yes actually, I wanted to convey sheer size—size means stability, luxury and above all strength."

Kasumi fought back an urge to vomit at another mention of the "all mighty" ship. She smiled to herself then said "Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of some interest to you."

Sam from across the table nodded half in astonishment and half in agreement at Kasumi's comment and the look of clueless-ness on 's face. Mr. Andrews chuckled at her notions through his lobster.

Ritsuka stared in disbelief at the "thing" in front of her surely her daughter couldn't have... "What on earth's gotten into you?" She said in a low stern voice.

Kasumi irritatedly excused herself from the table and out to the main upper deck of the ship.

"She's a pistol Shigeru, hope you can handle her." Sam muttered from the other side of the table.

Aaaand that's Chapter Three! Reviews/faves are love.

AAML Forever!

~MistyMagicWaterflower/ImmortalRomantic


	4. Save me from this Nighmare

A/N: Since I'm still watching Titanic, I decided I'd upload a tad more, cause you guys have been so patient.

Disclaimer: Alas! I am but a poor college student. I own nothing, Titanic and Pokemon respectively all belong to their respective owners *tear*

Chapter Four 

::Satoshi POV::

The sea breeze whipped against Satoshi's face as he stared out over the vast cerulean ocean his unkempt jet black locks blew haphazardly in the free air on the 3rd class decks. Pikachu perched happily on his shoulder. His russet brown eyes surveyed the deep sea almost preferring it to the snobs on this liner. Deep in thought about what the horizon would bring him and the training he would need to prepare his Pokèmon for he vaguely heard Takashi speaking in the background to another man.

"This ship's pretty nice huh?"

"Yeah, it was built in Johto."

"Oh really? I had heard it was built in Hoenn."

"No no, 25,000 people built this ship with their Pokémon. Its solid as a rock especially when the Pokémon league's Pokémon had put on the base welding."

Satoshi turned as he saw some Ninetails and Eevee on leads being lead down the steps to their deck.

The man scoffed in disgust. "Now that's typical. 1st class Pokémon come down here for the bathroom."

"Ahh, it lets us know where we rank in the scheme of things." Satoshi said with an air of sarcasm.

"Like we could forget?" The man said with a grin "I'm Tai Sakimoto." He said offering a friendly hand to shake

"Satoshi Kashino" he replied taking it

"Takeshi" He said shaking Tai's hand as well.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu piped in from Satoshi's shoulder with a small wave.

Tai smiled "So, I've heard from Takeshi here, that you're a Pokémon Trainer. You any good?"

Satoshi looked up and started to reply until he saw her. Her copper locks caught the sun's rays from the upper deck as she smoothly moved to the end. Her green and lace dress blew elegantly in the breeze a red tie tied tightly around her slim figure hugged her curves. Her perfect gate almost dictated her rank as at last she came to the end of the deck she curled her slim hands over the railing, a far away look on her porcelain features. Captivating Satoshi in every sense of the word.

"Satoshi? Satoshi?!"

Pikachu waved its paw in front of its trainer's face trying to establish contact.

Takeshi and Tai snickered at his smitten state

"Forget it man, you'd as much have an Articuno itself jump into your Pokéball; then get next to someone like her."

Satoshi only stared on fascinated by this other world beauty that was outlined in the golden glow of society. For a fleeting moment the two established eye contact it was almost as if he could sense something about her, she must have felt something because as soon as she had turned away she turned back, this captivating gaze could have lasted forever if not a man in a expensive suit had walked over and whispered something in her ear. She glared at him and marched back inside the ship. He followed her, clearly exasperated at the whole situation.

~*Kasumi POV*~

Kasumi sat in the first class dining room again, an orchestra playing background music to the repetitive chatter. Her mother Ritsuka sat next to her talking quietly with another woman, obviously someone of importance if she'd bother to speak with them. Kasumi fingered her scarlet and black beaded dress, her hair pulled up as usual with beaded earrings and burgundy heels. She sighed. Day in and day out it was always the same. Like a badly broken record, the same narrow people and mindless chatter no matter where she went, it seemed to always be the same. Kasumi felt as though she was on the edge of an abyss. With no one to save her, no one who noticed and no one who actually cared. Kasumi stood up and walked gracefully out of the room, ready to shatter the cracked record that was once her life. She stepped outside into the brisk night air all her emotions and thoughts of her future on a breaking point.

She ran down the ship, her high heels clicking madly as she ran nearly taking out a quietly strolling couple on her way as she ran her curly auburn hair falling out of its neat up do she ran trying to escape her fate until she could run no more.

Kasumi hit the bow of the massive ocean liner, the cold metal railing pushing into her relentless body with her racking sobs. The frigid night air making her short breaths visible, her cerulean blue eyes gazed into the depths of her imminent solitude. One jump and she could escape it all. One jump and freedom was hers. One jump and she would never have to go to another stupid party again. Kasumi took a deep breath. Her choice was obvious.

Her small hands grasped the cold metal as she took her first step up onto the railing. The beads on the hem of her dress chiming against it, to Kasumi it sounded like a chorus of angels welcoming her home. Trying to keep her balance in her high-heels she held onto a larger pole with a light on top as she took her last step and climbed over the side, moving her dress so that she could climb further down. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She was completely over the railing now as she lowered herself fuller and leaned forward. Adrenaline pulsing through her body her ragged breathing got louder. She leaned further now able to taste the saltwater on her lips. All she had to do was let go.

"Don't do it." Said a strong voice from behind her.

Kasumi whirled around to see a man with tousled jet black hair and a nervous expression.

"Stay back." She panted "Don't come any closer." The cold water giving her a almost azure glow to her pale skin

The man's expression frowned worriedly "Come on; just give me your hand, I'll pull you back over." He said offering her a hand as her slowly made his way closer to her.

"No! Stay where you are. I meant it. I'll let go." Kasumi threatened turning back to the cold ocean in front of her, leaning slightly more outward toward.

"No you won't." The man said calmly from behind her.

"What do you mean 'no you won't'? Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do. You don't know me." Kasumi snapped her temper reaching its peak. Due to a random guy telling her what she was going to do. She already had her mother and fiancé tell her what was going to be done. Having someone else take that liberty as well drove her to the brink.

"Well you would've done it already." The man said simply.

"You're distracting me. Now go away." Kasumi ordered leaning back over the sea.

"I can't. I'm involved now. If you jump I'm going to have to go in after you." The man stated firmly removing his heavy outer black jacket.

"You're crazy, you'll be killed." She said pointedly staring at this madman behind her

"I'm a good swimmer." He stated unlacing one of his hiking boots.

"The fall alone would kill you." She stated more to herself then to him thinking it over in her head, now that she was here she really hadn't planned out how she was going to die. All she knew was that it would all be over.

"It'll hurt; I'm not saying it won't. But to tell you the truth, I'm a lot more concerned with that water being so cold." He said removing the boot now and letting it fall to the deck

"Cold? How cold?" Kasumi asked involuntarily shivering at the thought of the water

"Freezing, maybe a few degrees over" The man shrugged pulling off the other boot "Have you ever been to Kanto?" He asked curiously

"What?" Kasumi did a double take at the random pointlessness at the turn their conversation was making, as if they were merely running into each other and chit-chatting, not her preparing to die.

"Well, they have some of the coldest winters around. I grew up there in Pallet. One time when I was tobogganing in the mountains. Tobogganing is where—"

"I KNOW WHAT TOBAGGANING IS." She snapped at the man now totally irritated by his antics, first he had stopped her, then he tried to command her, now he figured she was like...one of "them" draped in fancy garments with an attitude to match, one of the beings trapped the monotonous life that she longed to be free from.

"Sorry you just didn't seem like much of a nature girl to me. So, anyway I fell off on a slope and slid down onto a frozen lake falling into some thin ice." He said involuntarily shuddering a little. "Let me tell you, water THAT cold, like right down there, it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body. You can't breathe, you can't think, at least not about anything but the pain. Trust me, that IS enough to kill you." He finished seriously.

"Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after you. But like I said I don't have a choice. That's why I'm hoping you'll come back over the rail and get me off the hook here." He said

"You're completely insane." Kasumi snapped at the man who had just proclaimed he would die with her for no reason at all.

"Heh, that's what everyone says. But with all do respect, I'm the one that's still on _board_ the ship. " He said quietly as he leaned closer to her. "Come on, you don't want to do this." The man said offering her his hand from behind her.

Kasumi looked at the water and at his hand. The water was freezing, if she jumped now there was no guarantee she'd die only from the fall, it would be a slow, painful and icy death. Ideally she wanted something as painless as possible. There was no need to prolong her agony. If she let go now the man would be able to tell people what happened, she wanted to vanish completely, not be labeled a suicide victim.

She made up her mind and took his large hand as he held her securely while she turned around looking directly into his russet brown eyes. She took a shuddering breath. Then he spoke:

"Phew. I'm Satoshi Kashino."

"Kasumi Yawa Hiwatari" She said softly trying not to make the situation worse then it already was.

Satoshi looked at her confusedly "I'm gonna have to ask you to write that one down."

Kasumi laughed out of pure stress relief and awkwardness.

"Come on, let's get you back." He said trying to help her up onto the next rail.

As her shoe hit the rail it slipped on the beaded hem of her long crimson dress, she fell off the railing, almost falling into the abyss. She let out a painic stricken scream and Satoshi grunted from being the only thing that stood between her life and death.

"HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME!!" Kasumi shrieked at him, he held her tightly.

"LISTEN, LISTEN!" Satoshi yelled back "I've got you, and i'm not going to let go. You've gotta pull yourself up. Come on." He said as she watched him, her cerulean eyes mirrored fear and panic as she obeyed struggling to pull herself back onto the ship. Kasumi's cold, clammy hands grabbed onto the bars of the rail as Satoshi struggled to pull her back up. Finally she was able to wrap her arms around his neck as he grabbed her around the waist; he pulled back as they both tumbled to the deck of the ship. Kasumi's arms around his neck and Satoshi with his arms on either side of her almost laying on top of her.

Kasumi panting hard trying to catch her breath, however that would have to wait as two stewards came running towards them.

"What's going on here?" One of the men asked them looking back and forth between Satoshi and Kasumi of course, it being human nature he assumed the worse.

"Stand back!! don't move an inch!!" he yelled at Satoshi, he got up from Kasumi's side and moved back against the railing. The steward looked back at his companion

"Go fetch the master at arms."

::Satoshi POV ::

Soon after a lot of questioning a stout man with grave expression and a pair of handcuffs strode up to Satoshi. A man with slightly greasy chocolate brown hair close behind carrying a brandy in his left hand. A man followed them with gray hair tinged with white carrying a plaid blanket. Behind them came a pack of men all decked out in suits to see what all the commotion was about.

The man with the handcuffs whom Satoshi deduced to be the Master at arms came up behind him and began handcuffing him. The brown haired man heard what had happened from the two stewards and now had downed all of his remaining brandy and had begun ranting and raving over the situation.

"This is completely unacceptable!! What made you think you could put your hands on my fiancé?!?!" He questioned him; his enraged silver eyes searched Satoshi disgustedly. Satoshi's eyes fell on Kasumi who was being wrapped in the plaid blanket by the older man, he figured him to be this man's servant.

"LOOK AT ME YOU FILTH!!!" The man snapped at Satoshi

Kasumi looked at the man wearily. "Shigeru--"

The man continued to yell at Satoshi, finally shaking him by his vest.

"Shigeru, stop." Kasumi said a bit louder walking over to his side. "It was an accident."

Shigeru seemed taken aback. "An accident?"

Kasumi tried to smile abit here, however Satoshi could tell plain as day it was fake to spare them. "It was. Stupid really." She said as an after thought, then clarified herself

"I was leaning over and I slipped." Kasumi shot Satoshi a pleading glance in the blink of an eye, only he seemed to understand. _Was this what a girl like her was trying to get away from?_ He wondered to himself.

Kasumi continued "I was leaning far over to see the uh..ah...amm.." She thought to herself while sending Satoshi frightened looks, she turned back to Shigeru and closed her eyes deep in concentration trying to keep track of her lie as she started turning her hand around trying to think of the word for it..

"Propellers?" Shigeru finished for her rolling his eyes at her annoyedly.

"Propellers, and I would've gone over board but Mr. Kashino here saved me and almost went over himself." Kasumi told him.

"You wanted to see the...She wanted to see the propellers." Shigeru told the men behind him lightly as they burst into laughter as if on cue.

"Like I always say," One of the men told the others, "women and machinery Do Not mix." The other men nodded laughing

The master at arms spun Satoshi around and looked intently into his eyes. "Was that the way of it?"

Satoshi turned his gaze on Kasumi who was now silently begging him to agree with her fabrication.

Satoshi nodded "Yeah, yeah. That was pretty much it." He said as he shot Kasumi a silent smile.

"Well, the boy's a hero then. Well done son. So it's all's well and back to our brandy eh?" One of the men asked Shigeru and the others as the master at arms then unhand cuffed the innocent Satoshi. Satoshi shrugged at the master of arms and he clapped him on the shoulder and walked off.

"Look at you, you must be freezing, let's get you inside." Shigeru said to Kasumi, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her shoulders trying to generate warmth.

One of the men following Shigeru and Kasumi piped up "Perhaps a little something for the boy?" Shigeru stopped and looked at his freezing fiancee.

"Of course." He turned to the man closest behind him with the whitening hair

"Gendou, I think a twenty should be fine."

Kasumi scoffed "Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?"

Shigeru turned back and pouted sadly at her. "Kasumi's displeased. What to do?"

He then snapped his fingers as a conclusion popped into his head. "I know."

Shigeru strode over to Satoshi who was putting all his outer clothing back on

"Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow evening to regale our group with your heroic tale."

Satoshi gave him a hardened stare, he hated people like this. However he would face them all if it meant seeing Kasumi again. "Sure. Count me in."

~*~*~

Well, that was a long update if I do say so myself. ^_^

Want to see more sooner? Send reviews and faves! You guys are the reason I write. If it weren't for you, I'd still only be telling these to my little sister. :-P

Otherwise, I'm going to be focusing on my novel!

AAML is love and love is forever.

3


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